Surrey has had six fatal pedestrian collisions so far this year as ICBC marks Pedestrian Safety Month in response to a “sharp increase” in pedestrian deaths and injuries, particularly between October and January.
In 2022, eight pedestrians were killed on Surrey’s roads. According to ICBC, 43 per cent of crashes involving pedestrians happen during those months as weather and visibility worsen. On average, 53 pedestrians are killed in B.C. annually and more than 2,300 are injured, with distracted driving and failing to yield the right-of-way being the top contributing factors for drivers in pedestrian-related collisions.
Of those crashes, the Lower Mainland sees on average 1,434 pedestrians being injured in 2,029 crashes each year. Also, nearly 78 per cent of crashes that involve pedestrians happen at intersections.
On Oct. 12 a pedestrian was taken to hospital with serious injuries after being hit by a semi-truck in the southbound lanes of King George Boulevard, just north of 104 Avenue in Whalley.
“The driver of the truck remained on scene and is cooperating with the investigation,” Surrey RCMP Cpl. Vanessa Munn said. “The investigation into the pedestrian involved collision that occurred on October 12, 2023, remains ongoing, however based on the initial information it does not appear to be criminal in nature.”
Police ask anyone in the area who witnessed the collision or has dash camera footage to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502.
Meantime, an average of 1,398 pedestrians-involved crashes happen between October and January compared to 1,865 between February and September.
A community-by-community breakdown of pedestrian crashes from 2018 to 2022 can be viewed at icbc.com, with the caveat that the COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted data from 2020 and 2021.
In Surrey between 2018 and 2022 there were 1,527, all told. The worst intersection for pedestrian crashes was 104 Avenue and 152 Street (20 crashes), followed by 120 Street and 72 Avenue (19 crashes), 137 Street and 72 Avenue (17 crashes) and 128 Street and 96 Avenue, 152 Street and 96 Avenue and King George Boulevard plus turning lane, with 16 pedestrian crashes apiece.
Otherwise in Surrey, two intersections had 15 pedestrian crashes, one intersection had 14, one had 13, three had 12 crashes, six had 11 crashes, six intersections had 10 crashes, seven had nine, 11 had eight, 14 had seven, 13 intersections had six crashes, 27 had five, 40 had four, 55 had three, 96 had two, and 356 Surrey intersections had one pedestrian crash each between 2018 and 2022.
Shabnem Afzal, ICBC’s director of road safety, reminds us that “we’re all pedestrians at some point.
“Every single pedestrian crash can be avoided. It’s simple – small changes in how you drive make a big impact. Slow down when pedestrians are present, make sure to yield the right-of-way for them, and always avoid distractions. Let’s make our roads safer together,” Afzal says.
Toward that end, ICBC offers tips for drivers and pedestrians.
Some are obvious: Drivers should focus on the road, leave their phones alone, keep an eye out for pedestrians, especially when turning at intersections, crosswalks and near transit stops, reduce their speed in areas with pedestrians, be realistic about travel times – leave earlier to accommodate traffic and other unexpected hold ups to afford more time to pay attention for pedestrians, and prepare their vehicle for bad weather by making sure headlights are working, tires are properly inflated, wiper blades are functioning properly, and wiper fluid is topped up.
ICBC tips for pedestrians include being careful at intersections by watching for drivers turning left or right through the crosswalk because some drivers focused on oncoming traffic might not see them. Always use crosswalks, obey pedestrian signs and traffic signals, scan surroundings before crossing to ensure it’s safe and that traffic has come to a complete stop, make eye contact with drivers – never assume a driver has seen you. Also, pedestrians wearing headphones should remove them while crossing, and wear reflectors to make it easier for drivers to see them in the rain, snow, at dusk and at night.